PURPLE COMET!

MATH MEET April 2022

HIGH SCHOOL - SOLUTIONS

Copyright ©Titu Andreescu and Jonathan Kane

Problem 1
Find the maximum possible value obtainable by inserting a single set of parentheses into the expression
1 + 2 × 3 + 4 × 5 + 6.

Answer: 77
The maximum possible value is obtained with the expression 1 + 2 × (3 + 4) × 5 + 6 = 77.

Problem 2
Call a date mm/dd/yy multiplicative if its month number times its day number is a two-digit integer equal
to its year expressed as a two-digit year. For example, 01/21/21, 03/07/21, and 07/03/21 are
multiplicative. Find the number of dates between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2030 that are
multiplicative.

Answer: 29
The multiplicative dates, listed by year, are

2022: 01/22/22, 02/11/22, 11/02/22

2023: 01/23/23

2024: 01/24/24, 02/12/24, 03/08/24, 04/06/24, 06/04/24, 08/03/24, 12/02/24

2025: 01/25/25, 05/05/25

2026: 01/26/26, 02/13/26

2027: 01/27/27, 03/09/27, 09/03/27

2028: 01/28/28, 02/14/28, 04/07/28, 07/04/28

2029: 01/29/29

2030: 01/30/30, 02/15/30, 03/10/30, 05/06/30, 06/05/30, 10/03/30.

Therefore, there are 29 multiplicative dates.

1
Problem 3
An isosceles triangle has a base with length 12 and the altitude to the base has length 18. Find the area of
the region of points inside the triangle that are a distance of at most 3 from that altitude.

Answer: 81
The region of points inside the triangle that are greater than 3 from the altitude (the unshaded region in
the diagram) together form a triangle that is similar to the original triangle but with half the dimensions.
1 3
Thus, its area is 4 the area of the original traingle, and the requested area is 4 the area of the original
1 3
triangle. The original triangle has area 2 · 12 · 18 = 108. The requested area is then 4 · 108 = 81.

Problem 4
Of 450 students assembled for a concert, 40 percent were boys. After a bus containing an equal number of
boys and girls brought more students to the concert, 41 percent of the students at the concert were boys.
Find the number of students on the bus.

Answer: 50
Of the 450 students originally at the concert, (0.40)450 = 180 were boys. Let n be the number of boys on
180+n
the bus, so the number of students on the bus was 2n. Then 0.41 = 450+2n , which simplifies to
(0.41)450 + 0.82n = 180 + n and

0.41 · 450 − 180 4.5

n= = = 25.
1 − 0.82 0.18

Thus, the number of students on the bus was 2 · 25 = 50.

Problem 5
Below is a diagram showing a 6 × 8 rectangle divided into four 6 × 2 rectangles and one diagonal line. Find
the total perimeter of the four shaded trapezoids.

2
Answer: 48
The vertical sides of the shaded trapezoids are formed by all 5 of the vertical line segments, each of which
has length 6. Together, the horizontal sides of the shaded trapezoids make one horizontal side of the
rectangle of length 8. The other sides of the trapezoids are formed by the diagonal of the rectangle which
√
has length given by the Pythagorean Theorem to be 62 + 82 = 10. The total of the perimeters is,
therefore, 5 · 6 + 8 + 10 = 48.

Problem 6
√
Let a1 = 2021 and for n ≥ 1 let an+1 = 4 + an . Then a5 can be written as
r √ r √
m+ n m− n
+ ,
2 2

where m and n are positive integers. Find 10m + n.

Answer: 45
One can calculate
√ √
a2 = 2021 + 4 = 2025 = 45
√ √
a3 = 45 + 4 = 49 = 7
√ √
a4 = 7 + 4 = 11
√
q
a5 = 11 + 4.

Then m and n must satisfy

2 r √ r √ !2
√
q
m+ n m− n
11 + 4 = + ,
2 2

so √ r √ ! r √ ! √
√ m+ n m+ n m− n m− n
4+ 11 = +2 +
2 2 2 2
p
= m + m2 − n.

It follows that m = 4 and n = 5. The requested sum is 10 · 4 + 5 = 45.

Problem 7
In a room there are 144 people. They are joined by n other people who are each carrying k coins. When
these coins are shared among all n + 144 people, each person has 2 of these coins. Find the minimum
possible value of 2n + k.

3
Answer: 50
It follows that the number of coins must be twice the number of people, so n · k = 2(n + 144) implying that
n(k − 2) = 288 = 25 32 . The value of 2n + k is minimized when n is not too large. The values of n and k
with small n are given in the following table.

n 1 2 3 4 6 8 9 12 16 18
k 290 146 98 74 50 38 34 26 20 18
2n + k 292 150 104 82 62 54 52 50 52 54

The minimum possible value of 2n + k is 50.

Problem 8
The product      
1+1 1 2+1 1 3+1 1 2022 + 1 1
2
+ 2
+ 2
+ ··· 2
+
1 +1 4 2 +1 4 3 +1 4 2022 + 1 4
q
can be written as , where r is a positive integer, and q and s are relatively prime odd positive integers.
2r ·s
Find s.

Answer: 1
n+1 1 1 (n + 2)2 + 1
Note that 2 + = · . Thus, the given product telescopes and is equal to
n +1 4 4 n2 + 1
1 1 1 2 2 (20232 + 1)(20242 + 1)
· · · (2023 + 1)(2024 + 1) = .
42022 12 + 1 22 + 1 24045 · 5

The last digit of 20232 must be 9, so 20232 + 1 is a multiple of 5. It follows that the denominator of the
reduced fraction is a power of 2, and the value of s is 1.

Problem 9 q
3
√
For positive integer n let zn = n + i, where i = −1. Find z1 · z2 · z3 · · · z47 .

Answer: 140 rq 

2 q
3 3+n
Note that |zn | = n + 12 = n . Thus,

48 · 49 · 50 √
r r r r r
4 5 6 50
z1 · z2 · z3 · · · z47 = · · ··· = = 16 · 49 · 25 = 140.
1 2 3 47 1·2·3

Problem 10
Let a be a positive real number such that

1
4a2 + = 117.
a2

Find
1
8a3 + .
a3

4
Answer: 1265
Adding 4 to each side of the given equation yields

1
4a2 + 4 + = 121 = 112 ,
a2
1
so 2a + a = 11. Hence, cubing both sides yields
 
3 3 2 1 3 1 1 1
11 = 8a + 3 · 4a + 3 · + 3 = 8a + 3 + 6 2a + = 8a3 + 3 + 6 · 11.
a a a a a

It follows that
1
8a3 + = 113 − 6 · 11 = 1331 − 66 = 1265.
a3

Problem 11
In quadrilateral ABCD, let AB = 7, BC = 11, CD = 3, DA = 9, ∠BAD = ∠BCD = 90◦ , and diagonals
BE m
AC and BD intersect at E. The ratio DE = n, where m and n are relatively prime positive integers. Find
m + n.

Answer: 104
Because ∠BAD = ∠BCD = 90◦ , quadrilateral ABCE is cyclic. Thus, ∠BDC = ∠BAC and
∠ACD = ∠ABD, so △EAB ∼ △EDC. Similarly, △EDA ∼ △ECB. Therefore,

BE BE BA CE BA BA CE BA CB 7 11 77
= · = · = · = · = · = .
DE BA DE CD DE CD DE CD DA 3 9 27

The requested sum is 77 + 27 = 104.

C
D
E

A B

Problem 12
Let a and b be positive real numbers satisfying
   
a a b b
+2 + + 2 = 2022.
b b a a

Find the positive integer n such that r r

a b √
+ = n.
b a

5
Answer: 46
Adding 3 to both sides of the given equation yields
 2
a b
+ +1 = 2025,
b a
q q 2
a b a b a b
which implies that b + + 1 = 45. Then
a + b a = b +2+ a = 46. In particular, the original
√
equation is satisfied by a = 22 + 483 and b = 1.

Problem 13
Find the number of positive divisors of 2022 that are perfect squares or perfect cubes.

Answer: 364
A perfect square that divides 2022 = 244 522 is of the form 22m 52n , where m is an integer from 0 to 22 and n
is an integer from 0 to 11. Similarly, a perfect cube divisor is of the form 23p 53q , where p is an integer from
0 to 14 and q is an integer from 0 to 7. Any divisor is both a perfect square and a perfect cube if it is of
the form 26r 56s , where r is an integer from 0 to 7 and s is an integer from 0 to 3. Hence, the number of
perfect square or perfect cube divisors is given by the Inclusion/Exclusion Principle as
(22 + 1)(11 + 1) + (14 + 1)(7 + 1) − (7 + 1)(3 + 1) = 364.

Problem 14
Of the integers a, b, and c that satisfy 0 < c < b < a and

a3 − b3 − c3 − abc + 1 = 2022,

let c′ be the least value of c appearing in any solution, let a′ be the least value of a appearing in any
solution with c = c′ , and let b′ be the value of b in the solution where c = c′ and a = a′ . Find a′ + b′ + c′ .

Answer: 19
If c = 1, then a3 − b3 − ab = 2022. Let d = a − b and p = ab, so

p(3d − 1) = 2022 − d3 .

It follows that d must be even and d ≤ 12. Checking d equal to 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 shows that there is no
solution when c = 1.

If c = 2, then a3 − b3 − 2ab = 2029. This shows that a3 > 2029, so a ≥ 13. Indeed, a = 13, b = 4, and c = 2
is the solution with the minimum possible value of c and the minimum possible value for a given that value
of c. The requested sum is 13 + 4 + 2 = 19.

6
Problem 15
Let a be a real number such that
a a
5 sin4 + 12 cos a = 5 cos4 + 12 sin a.
2 2
m
There are relatively prime positive integers m and n such that tan a = n. Find 10m + n.

Answer: 82
Rewrite the given equation as
a a
12 cos a − 12 sin a = 5 cos4 − 5 sin4 .
2 2

Then
h a a i
12 cos a − 12 sin a = 5 cos2 − sin2 = 5 cos a.
2 2
sin a 7
It follows that tan a = cos a = 12 . The requested expression is 10 · 7 + 12 = 82. The equation is satisfied by
a is approximately equal to 0.5281 (in radians) or 30.26 (in degrees).

Problem 16
The sum of the solutions to the equation
64
xlog2 x =
x
m
can be written as n, where m and n are relatively prime positive integers. Find m + n.

Answer: 41
64



Taking the logarithm base 2 of both sides of the equation gives log2 xlog2 x = log2 x , from which
(log2 x)(log2 x) = 6 − log2 x. This is equivalent to (log2 x − 2)(log2 x + 3) = 0, whose solutions are 4 and 18 .
33
The sum of the solutions is 8 . The requested sum is 33 + 8 = 41.

Problem 17
Find the least positive integer with the property that if its digits are reversed and then 450 is added to this
reversal, the sum is the original number. For example, 621 is not the answer because it is not true that
621 = 126 + 450.

7
Answer: 1501
Because 450 is a three-digit number, no one-digit or two-digit number can have the needed property. In
fact, no three-digit number can have the needed property because if the number were a b c , then its reversal
would be c b a , and it would be that a b c = c b a + 450. But this would require that the ones digits are
equal, so a = c, and the number would have to satisfy a b a = a b a + 450, which is clearly impossible.
Thus, assume the answer is the four-digit integer a b c d . Then a b c d = d c b a + 450.

This means
1000a + 100b + 10c + d = 1000d + 100(c + 4) + 10(b + 5) + a,

which is equivalent to 1000(a − d) + 100(b − c − 4) + 10(c − b − 5) + (d − a) = 0. Because both sides of this

equation are divisible by 10, it follows that a = d, so the equation reduces to 10(b − c − 4) = 5 + b − c.
Because both sides of this equation are divisible by 10, it must be that b and c differ by 5. If c = b + 5, the
equation becomes −90 = 0, which is false, so it must be that b = c + 5. There are many ways to satisfy
this, but the least integer a b c d results from a = d = 1, b = 5, and c = 0, giving the answer 1501.

Problem 18
In △ABC, let D be on BC such that AD ⊥ BC. Suppose also that tan B = 4 sin C, AB 2 + CD2 = 17, and
AC 2 + BC 2 = 21. Find the measure of ∠C in degrees between 0◦ and 180◦ .

Answer: 72
The condition tan B = 4 sin C implies AC = 4BD. Let BD = x, CD = y, AC = 4x, and AD = h. Then
x2 + h2 + y 2 = 17, 16x2 + (x + y)2 = 21, and h2 = 16x2 − y 2 . It follows that 17x2 = 17, so x = 1 and
√ −1+ 5
√
(1 + y)2 = 21 − 16, implying y = −1 + 5. Hence, cos C = CD AC = 4 .
√ √
1+ 5 −1+ 5
Note that if θ is an angle such that cos θ = 4 , then cos(2θ) = 2 cos2 θ − 1 = 4 = cos C. Also,
√
cos(4θ) = 2 cos2 (2θ) − 1 = − 1+4 5 = cos(180◦ − θ). It follows that 4θ = 180◦ − θ, which means θ = 36◦ and
the requested degree measure of ∠C is 2θ = 72◦ .

Problem 19 √ x 4x+1
Let x be a real number such that 6 − 3x = 2x−2 . Evaluate x−1 .
9
Answer: 576  x
√
x √
x 2 u2 u 2 u 4
Let u = 2 and v = 3 . Then uv − v = , implying − v = 0. Then = 2, so = 24 .
 x 4 2 v 9
4x+1 4
The requested expression is x−1 = 4 · 9 · = 36 · 16 = 576.
9 9

Problem 20
Let ABCD be a convex quadrilateral inscribed in a circle with AC = 7, AB = 3, CD = 5, and
m
AD − BC = 3. Then BD = n, where m and n are relatively prime positive integers. Find m + n.

8
Answer: 62
Let BC = x. Because ∠B and ∠D are opposite angles in a cyclic quadrilateral, they are supplementary, so
cos B + cos D = 0. Apply the Law of Cosines to △ABC and △ADC to find

32 + x2 − 72 52 + (x + 3)2 − 72
cos B + cos D = + = 0.
2·3·x 2 · 5 · (x + 3)

It follows that 5(x + 3)(x2 − 40) + 3x(x2 + 6x − 15) = 0, which reduces to

8x3 + 33x2 − 245x − 600 = (x − 5)(8x2 + 73x + 120) = 0. Notice that x = 5 is the only solution as
8x2 + 73x + 120 is always positive when x is positive. Hence, BC = 5, AD = 8, and, from Ptolemy’s
55
Theorem, 7 · BD = 3 · 5 + 5 · 8, implying BD = 7 . The requested sum is 55 + 7 = 62.

Problem 21
Find the number of sequences of 10 letters where all the letters are either A or B, the first letter is A, the
last letter is B, and the sequence contains no three consecutive letters reading ABA. For example, count
AAABBABBAB and ABBBBBBBAB but not AABBAABABB or AAAABBBBBA.

Answer: 86
Let sn be the number of sequences of n letters where all the letters are either A or B, the first letter is A,
the last letter is B, and the sequence contains no three consecutive letters reading ABA. Then s1 = 0,
s2 = 1, and s3 = 2. Any such sequence with more than 3 letters must begin with 1 A followed by a
sequence of either 0 or more than 1 B followed by a legal sequence or an empty sequence. It follows that

sn = sn−1 + sn−3 + sn−4 + · · · + s2 + 1.

But then sn − sn−1 = sn−1 − sn−2 + sn−3 , so sn = 2sn−1 − sn−2 + sn−3 . Thus,

s4 = 2s3 − s2 + s1 = 3

s5 = 2s4 − s3 + s2 = 5

s6 = 2s5 − s4 + s3 = 9

s7 = 2s6 − s5 + s4 = 16

s8 = 2s7 − s6 + s5 = 28

s9 = 2s8 − s7 + s6 = 49

s10 = 2s9 − s8 + s7 = 86.

Problem 22
Circle ω1 has radius 7 and center C1 . Circle ω2 has radius 23 and center C2 with C1 C2 = 34. Let a
common internal tangent of ω1 and ω2 pass through A1 on ω1 and A2 on ω2 , and let a common external
tangent of ω1 and ω2 pass through B1 on ω1 and B2 on ω2 such that A1 and B1 lie on the same side of the
line C1 C2 . Let P be the intersection of lines A1 A2 and B1 B2 . Find the area of quadrilateral P C1 A2 C2 .

9
Answer: 345
There is a rectangle with diagonal C1 C2 with two sides parallel to the common internal tangent of ω1 and
ω2 . It has side lengths A1 C1 + A2 C2 and A1 A2 , so by the Pythagorean Theorem,
(C1 C2 )2 = (A1 C1 + A2 C2 )2 + (A1 A2 )2 and
p p
A1 A2 = (C1 C2 )2 − (A1 C1 + A2 C2 )2 = 342 − (7 + 23)2 = 16.

Another rectangle with diagonal C1 C2 has two sides parallel to the common external tangent B1 B2 . It has
side lengths B2 C2 − B1 C1 = A2 C2 − A1 C1 and B1 B2 , so
p p
B1 B2 = (C1 C2 )2 − (A2 C2 − A1 C1 )2 = 342 − (23 − 7)2 = 30.

B2

P
B1
A1
C1 C2

A2

By the Equal Tangents Theorem P A1 = P B1 and P A2 = P B2 . Then P A2 = A1 A2 + P A1 together with

B1 B2 = P B1 + P B2 imply P A1 = 7 and P A2 = 23. Because the altitude of △P C1 A2 from C1 is C1 A1 and
the altitude of △P A2 C2 from C2 is C2 A2 , the required area is the sum of the areas of these two triangles
1 1
and is equal to 2 · P A2 · (C1 A1 + C2 A2 ) = 2 · 23 · (7 + 23) = 345. Note that since
30 = B1 B2 = 7 + 23 = A1 C1 + A2 C2 , it follows that common external tangent B1 B2 and the common
internal tangent A1 A2 are perpendicular as suggested by the diagram. The two rectangles discussed in the
solution are, in fact, the same rectangle.

Problem 23
There are prime numbers a, b, and c such that the system of equations

a·x − 3·y + 6·z = 8

b·x + 3 21 ·y + 2 13 ·z = −28
c·x − 5 21 · y + 18 13 · z = 0

has infinitely many solutions for (x, y, z). Find the product a · b · c.

10
Answer: 154
The system has infinitely many solutions only if the determinant of coefficients is zero. That is, if
a −3 6
0= b 3 21 2 13 = 77a + 22b − 28c. Because 77a + 22b − 28c must be even, it follows that a = 2. Then
c −5 12 18 13
−22b + 28c = 154 = 2 · 7 · 11. Because 28c and 154 are both multiples of 7, b must be 7, and because 22b
and 154 are both multiples of 11, c must be 11. These values do, in fact, make the determinant equal to
zero. The system is

2·x − 3·y + 6·z = 8

7·x + 3 21 ·y + 2 13 ·z = −28
11 · x − 5 21 · y + 18 13 · z = 0

The system is not inconsistent because it has solution (−5, 0, 3), so it must have infinitely many solutions.
The requested product is 2 · 7 · 11 = 154.

Problem 24
Find the number of permutations of the letters AAABBBCCC where no letter appears in a position that
originally contained that letter. For example, count the permutations BBBCCCAAA and CBCAACBBA
but not the permutation CABCACBAB.

Answer: 56
In such a permutation, consider where the As are placed. If all 3 As end up where the 3 Bs started
(similarly where the 3 Cs started), then the Bs must move to where the Cs started, and the Cs must move
to where the As started. Thus, there are 2 permutations where all 3 As move to where the Bs started or to
where the Cs started.

Otherwise, the 3 As end up with 2 As where the Bs started and 1 where the Cs started, or vice-versa.
There are 63 − 2 = 18 ways to choose the positions of the As. Suppose there are 2 As in the positions

where the Bs started. Then a C must occupy the third position where the Bs started, and two Bs must
occupy the 2 other positions where the Cs started. That leaves 1 B and 2 Cs to occupy the 3 positions
where the As started, and this can be done in one of 3 ways. This accounts for 18 · 3 = 54 permutations.

It follows that there are 2 + 54 = 56 permutations satisfying the required conditions.

Problem 25
Let ABCD be a parallelogram with diagonal AC = 10 such that the distance from A to line CD is 6 and
the distance from A to line BC is 7. There are two non-congruent configurations of ABCD that satisfy
m
these conditions. The sum of the areas of these two parallelograms is n, where m and n are relatively
prime positive integers. Find m + n.

11
Answer: 4717
Let the parallelogram have side lengths x = AB = CD and y = AD = BC, and let θ = ∠ACD. The area
of the parallelogram is 6x = 7y, so y = 76 x, and, thus, y < x. In particular, y = AD is not the longest side
of △ACD, so θ is less than 90◦ .

D
y
A
A x
B y
10 θ
10
C
D
θ
x
C B

6
Because A is a distance 6 from line CD, sin θ = 10 = 35 , so cos θ = 54 . Applying the Law of Cosines to
△ACD then gives
 2
4 6
102 + x2 − 2 · 10 · x · = y2 = x ,
5 7
which simplifies to
13 2
x − 16x + 100 = 0.
49
Then q
13
8± 82 − 100 · 49
x= 13 ,
49
16·49 784
and the sum of these two values of x is 13 = 13 . Because the area of each parallelogram is 6x, the sum
784 4704
of the two areas is 6 · 13 = 13 . The requested sum is 4704 + 13 = 4717.

Problem 26
Antonio plays a game where he continually flips a fair coin to see the sequence of heads (H) and tails (T)
that he flips. Antonio wins the game if he sees on four consecutive flips the sequence TTHT before he sees
m
the sequence HTTH. The probability that Antonio wins the game is n, where m and n are relatively prime
positive integers. Find m + n.

12
Answer: 17
Let x be the conditional probability that Antonio wins given that his first flip is T, and let y be the
conditional probability that he wins given that his first flip is H. Note that if Antonio ever flips two Ts in a
row not preceded by an H, then he will continue to flip until an H appears. At that point Antonio can win
if he either flips a T (completing a TTHT) or if he flips another H followed by a winning sequence that
began with that H. That means that if Antonio has flipped 2 Ts not preceded by an H, then he wins with
1
probability 2 + 12 y. If Antonio’s first flip is H, then he can win if he next flips

ˆ a winning sequence starting with his initial H,

ˆ a TH followed by a winning sequence starting with that H,

ˆ 3 or more Ts followed a win preceded by at least 2 Ts not preceded by an H.

This shows that y = 21 y + 14 y + 1 1

+ 12 y , which is satisfied by y = 13 . On the other hand, if Antonio’s


8 2

first flip is T, then he can win if he next flips

ˆ an H followed by a winning sequence starting with that H,

ˆ a second T followed by a win preceded by at least 2 Ts not preceded by an H.

This shows that x = 12 y + 1 1

+ 12 y = 12 . Hence, the probability that Antonio wins is 1 1 1 5



2 2 2 2 + 3 = 12 .

The requested sum is 5 + 12 = 17.

Problem 27
k 505.45
For integer k ≥ 1, let ak = . Find the least integer n such that a1 + a2 + a3 + · · · + an > .
4k 4 + 1 2022
Answer: 71
Because 4k 4 + 1 = (2k 2 − 2k + 1)(2k 2 + 2k + 1), it follows that

1 1
4ak = − ,
2k 2 − 2k + 1 2k 2 + 2k + 1

implying that  
1 1 1
ak = − 2 .
4 (k − 1)2 + k 2 k + (k + 1)2
Hence, the sum a1 + a2 + a3 + · · · + an telescopes and simplifies to
   
1 1 1 1 1
− 2 = 1− 2 .
4 02 + 12 n + (n + 1)2 4 2n + 2n + 1
 
Thus, it is required that 41 1 − 2n2 +2n+1
1
> 505.45 2
2022 , which is equivalent to 10,110 < 2n + 2n + 1. The

minimum n is 71 when 2n2 + 2n + 1 = 10,225.

13
Problem 28
Six gamers play a round-robin tournament where each gamer plays one game against each of the other five
gamers. In each game there is one winner and one loser where each player is equally likely to win that
game, and the result of each game is independent of the results of the other games. The probability that
m
the tournament will end with exactly one gamer scoring more wins than any other player is n, where m
and n are relatively prime positive integers. Find m + n.

Answer: 833
6


The tournament consists of 2 = 15 games, so there are 215 equally likely results of the tournament. If one
gamer wins all five of their games, no other gamer can win five games, so there is a player that scores more
wins than any other player. If no gamer wins all five games, then it is possible for one gamer to win four
games and the other gamers to each win fewer than four games. If no gamer wins as many as four games,
then there will be more than one gamer winning 3 games.

If one gamer wins five games, there are 6 ways to select that gamer, and 210 ways to assign results for the
other 10 games in the tournament for a total of 6 · 210 possible tournament results.

Let Ai be the collection of results where gamer i wins 4 games. In particular, for any i, the number of
results in Ai is 5 · 210 because there are 5 ways for gamer i to lose one game, and there are 10 other games
whose results must be determined. For i ̸= j, the number of results in Ai ∩ Aj is 2 · 4 · 26 because there are
2 ways for the game between gamers i and j to end, 4 ways for the winner of that game to lose a game, and
there are 6 other games whose results must be determined. For three distinct gamers i, j, and k, the
number of results in Ai ∩ Aj ∩ Ak is 2 · 23 = 24 because the three players must each lose one game to one of
the other two, so there are 2 ways for these losses to be assigned, and there are 3 other games whose results
must be determined. Then the Inclusion/Exclusion Principle gives the number of ways at least one gamer
wins 4 games as    
6 6 4
6 · 5 · 210 − 2 · 4 · 26 + 2 .
2 3
From this, one must remove those results where one gamer wins 4 games but another gamer wins 5 games,
and there are 6 · 5 · 26 such results. The number of ways that at least 2 gamers win 4 games is
6 6 4

6


2 2 · 4 · 2 − 2 3 2 , and this also must be subtracted from the total. Thus, the number of results where

one gamer wins 5 games or exactly one gamer wins 4 games with nobody winning 5 games is
   
10 10 6

6 6 6 4
6·5·2 +6·5 2 −2 −2 2·4·2 +3 2 .
2 3

The required probability is

6 · 5 · 210 + 6 · 5 210 − 26 − 2 62 2 · 4 · 26 + 3 63 24




321
15
= .
2 512

The requested sum is 321 + 512 = 833.

14
Problem 29
Sphere S with radius 100 has diameter AB and center C. Four small spheres all with radius 17 have
centers that lie in a plane perpendicular to AB such that each of the four spheres is internally tangent to S
and externally tangent to two of the other small spheres. Find the radius of the smallest sphere that is
both externally tangent to two of the four spheres with radius 17 and internally tangent to S at a point in
the plane perpendicular to AB at C.

Answer: 66
More generally, let S have radius s and the four small spheres each have radius t. Let the small spheres
have centers E, F , G, and H, in that order, and suppose that the other sphere has radius r, center K, and
is tangent to the small spheres with centers at E and H. Let M be the midpoint of EH, N be the
midpoint of F G, and L be the midpoint of M N , which is the center of square EF GH, as shown.

K
C

H
G
M
L N
E
F

Because the small spheres are tangent to each other, the square EF GH has side length 2t, and
√
semidiagonal EL has length t 2. Because the small spheres are internally tangent to S, it follows that
CE = CF = CG = CH = s − t, and because the sphere centered at K is also internally tangent to S, it
follows that CK = s − r. Because the sphere centered at K is tangent to S at a point in the plane
perpendicular to AB at C, ∠LCK = 90◦ , and CK ∥ M N . Thus, CKM L is a trapezoid with right angles
√ p
at C and L with M L = t, CK = s − r, CL = CE 2 − EL2 = (s − t)2 − 2t2 , and
p p
KM = (CK − M L)2 + CL2 = (s − r − t)2 + (s − t)2 − 2t2 . Also,
√ p
EK = r + t = EM 2 + KM 2 = t2 + (s − r − t)2 + (s − t)2 − 2t2 , implying

(r + t)2 = (s − r − t)2 + (s − t)2 − t2 ,

which simplifies to r = s − 2t. Letting s = 100 and t = 17 gives the requested radius r = 66.

Problem 30
There is a positive integer s such that there are s solutions to the equation
mk
64 sin2 (2x) + tan2 x + cot2 x = 46 in the interval 0, π2 all of the form


π, where mk and nk are relatively
nk
prime positive integers, for k = 1, 2, 3, . . . , s. Find (m1 + n1 ) + (m2 + n2 ) + (m3 + n3 ) + · · · + (ms + ns ).

15
Answer: 100
sin2 x cos2 x
The equation can be rewritten as 64 sin2 (2x) + 1 + + 1 + = 48, which can be written as
cos2 x sin2 x
1 1 1
64 sin2 (2x) + + = 48. This is equivalent to 16 sin2 (2x) + = 12, so
cos2 x sin2 x sin2 (2x)

2
0 = 16 sin2 (2x) − 12 sin2 (2x) + 1

4 sin2 (2x) + 2 sin(2x) − 1 4 sin2 (2x) − 2 sin(2x) − 1

=

3 − 4 cos2 (2x) + 2 sin(2x) 3 − 4 cos2 (2x) − 2 sin(2x) · cos2 (2x)

=

3 cos(2x) − 4 cos3 (2x) + 2 sin(2x) cos(2x) 3 cos(2x) − 4 cos3 (2x) − 2 sin(2x) cos(2x)



=



= sin(4x) − cos(6x) − sin(4x) − cos(6x)
π π 3π 5π 7π 9π
Hence, 4x + 6x = 10x must be an odd multiple of 2. It follows that x must be one of 20 , 20 , 20 , 20 , or 20 ,
5π π
although 20 = 4 is an extraneous solution introduced by the multiplication of cos2 (2x) in the above
π 3π 7π 9π
derivation. The required solutions are 20 , 20 , 20 , and 20 . The requested sum is
(1 + 20) + (3 + 20) + (7 + 20) + (9 + 20) = 100.

16